傳統性殺蟲劑多源自人類文明流傳所得之知識，如毒魚藤及除蟲菊等；或來自意外之發現，如DDT。唯有有機磷劑為近代科技的產物，但仍是由戰爭科技之神經毒氣所衍生出來的產品。氨基甲酸鹽之毒理作用與有機磷劑相同，均對乙醯膽鹼酯酶(Acetyl-cholinesterase, AchE)產生抑制，雖然其主成份為1864年於歐洲所分離出，但其毒性也係由早期西非土著文明所發現。純粹由工業研究所發展之殺蟲劑的歷史仍極短暫，因發展新型殺蟲劑需考慮成本、藥效及安全性，耗費上億元以上之投資，以至於在開發中國家幾乎是不可能的事，而多由已開發國家之化學製藥工業進行。各國政府體系則只關切藥效與安全性，農業生產者則重視藥效與售價。雖然工業界仍然偏好廣效性之農藥，新近發展之蟲劑作用範圍仍較狹窄，近年來之新藥研究偏重於模擬昆蟲生理物質分子結構，降低抗藥性以及殘毒之安全性，但能符合上列條件的物質並不多見，昆蟲生長調節劑(IGRS)即為一例，其生理作用大於其毒性；另一新藥，Avermectin，作用則純屬毒素，然毒素之藥效雖較生理作用者為快，但亦較為不安全。此外，改進不盡理想的傳統殺蟲劑分子結構為發展新殺蟲劑之另一途徑，如合成除蟲菊精劑即消除了天然除蟲菊對紫外線敏感之部份分子結構，其研究是由國立機構進行，經技術轉移給工業界以回收其發展成本。就近年來所發展之合成除蟲菊精劑及昆蟲生長調節劑而言，害蟲產生抗藥性仍為兩者之最大弱點。就應用而言，必須區分「預防性」及「治療性」之使用目的。「預防性處理」須依賴過去蟲害發生週期之經驗，或良好的害蟲發生預測體系，作為實施防治的合理依據，而「治療性處理」則為農業生產者，視主要害蟲發生程度，而採取必要之防治措施。經濟混蟲學家一直戮力於發展各種主要害蟲之經濟閥限，期能提供合理的「預防性處理」判斷依據，但這類發展中之模式，仍因害蟲之棲群動態，及各項環境因子之研究，而需加以改進。就目前而言，「治療性處理」仍極重要，各項研究應就殺蟲劑種類之選擇及使用時機提供更合理的基礎資料。以吾人之經驗而言，最簡單之推理為"一加一\"之邏輯，亦即先使用一種廣效而安全的殺蟲劑防治所有可能發生之蟲害，"必要時\"才針對該廣效藥劑所不能防除的問題，另以一種特效藥劑處理之，目的就是希望能以最少種類藥劑防治最多種的害蟲。最後，必須注重用藥安全。除了政府已在農藥註冊、標識及推廣教育上，作了最基本之要求與努力外，殘毒檢定亦有其必要性，主要目的在於(1)檢測殘毒問題偏高之作物，探討造成殘毒問題之藥劑種類及對象害蟲，(2)檢出已採收卻含殘毒之農產品及(3)提供必要資訊以便採取醫療急救措施並銷燬殘毒偏高之農產品。

Most conventional insecticides were developed either fromknowledge which was untraceable in human history (for example,rotenoids and pyrethroids) or by accidental discoverγ(forexample, DDT). Only organophosphorus compounds (OPs), derivedfrom nerve gas used in World War 11, were developedtotally according to the toxicological principle. Like OPs, carbamatesis another important category of insecticide with antiacetylcholinesteraseactivity, but was discovered among primitivesin West Africa although the active component was isolatedin Europe in 1864. Insecticides developed totally from industrialresearch is a rather recent matter. To develop a newinsecticide, industries have to consider cost, efficacy and safety.The investment usually amounted to multimillion to billionUSD nowadays and no developing countries can afford it. Evenin developed countries, the R&D of insecticides is usuallymerged with other pharmaceutical manufactures to cut the cos.t.The regulation authority of most countries usually only concernsthe efficacy and safety of new insecticides. For the growers,the efficacy and cost are the primary concerns. The considerationof developing new insecticides prefers mimic the activityof physiological important substances, avoidance of resistanceand residue safety. Material fits desirable requirements israte. Most newly developed insecticides are more specific althoughindustries still prefer compounds with broad controlspectrum. IGRs served as an example for narrow spectrum in.secticide and worked as a physio10gícal b10cker rather than toxin.Avermectin served as an examp1e of insecticide with broadspectrum and worked on target pests as toxin. Usually, a physio10gíca1b10cker acted slower than toxin and a1so caused fewersafety concern than toxin. Modification of undesirab1e insecticidesis another alternative for deve10ping new insecticides, forexamp1e, synthetic pyrethroids were improved fromthe fragí1enatura1 pyrethrum. Research and deve10pment efforts on syntheticpyrethroids are made by the government institute, andthe cost was 1ater recovered by techno1o自1 transfer to industrytnat manufactures and markets the products. Unfortunate1y,both synthetic pyrethroids and IGRs suffered terrib1e setbackfrom the resistance deve10ped in major target pests. On theaspect of "application", the difference between preventive andcuring treatments should be distinguished. The preventivetreatment depended on previous experiences or a forecastingsystem to suppliment the 10gíc behind treatment, while thecuring treatment has long been practiced by most growers withvisua1 decision made on pest damage for the necessity oftreatment. Economic entomoloists have deve10ped or t可to developthe economic threshold on scientific data base for preventivetreatment of major pests, nevertheless, most pest managementmode1s were still subjected to perfection from thestudies of population dynamics of pests and other environmenta1parameters. For the curing treatment, the major improvementcan be done by research institutes is to provide logícand scientific data base for proper selection of insecticides. Thesimp1est example is "one p1us one" 10gíc, and is usually recommendedfrom our past experience. The first "one" is a broadspectrum insecticide which can cover as much pests in thetarge crop as possib1e, if it is not enough, then the "second"insecticide with specific activity on particu1ar troubled pest orpests is added. This approach can minimize the insecticidesused on a crop. The fina1 thing to be mentioned is "safety".The preventive regulation of government on safe旬， proper 1abellingand farmer education were basicaUy required. Second,pesticide residues shou1d a1so be monitored in agricultura1products for (A) identifying prob1em crops, pests and insectcides, (B) identi句ring residue contaminated harvest before marketing,and (C) taking emergency action for needed medicalcare and destroying unsafe agricultural products.